Quick Answer
- Best time: June to September for warm weather; December to February for the Christmas market, snow and winter festivals.
- Winter cold: January averages -5°C by day and -13.5°C at night, with about 52 cm of snow.
- Where to stay: downtown near the RÉSO in winter, Old Montreal for character.
- From the airport: the 24-hour 747 bus, C$11.25 including a 24-hour transit pass.
- Big sights: Old Montreal and Mount Royal free, Notre-Dame Basilica C$16, Museum of Fine Arts C$32 (free to 25).
At a glance
- Best time
- Jun–Sep; Dec–Feb for winter festivals
- Time needed
- 3 to 4 days
- Currency
- Canadian dollar (CAD)
- Language
- French
- From the airport
- 747 bus, 24 hours, C$11.25
- Visa
- eTA (C$7) for most air arrivals
- Getting around
- Metro and bus, 24-hour pass C$11.25
Montreal is a French-speaking city of stone streets, a mountain park in the middle and an underground city for the coldest days. The real questions are how cold winter gets, where to sleep, and how to get in from the airport without a taxi. Prices, dates and times below were checked on 10 October 2026.
When is the best time to visit Montreal?
Summer is warm and long, and winter is properly cold, with snow on the ground from December to March. The figures are Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991-2020 normals for Montréal-Trudeau airport.
| Month | Average high / low | Precipitation | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| December | -1.2°C / -8.7°C | 91.9 mm, 48.2 cm of snow | Christmas market, first big snowfalls, short days |
| January | -5.0°C / -13.5°C | 85.8 mm, 52.0 cm of snow | The coldest and snowiest month; Igloofest in Old Montreal |
| February | -3.4°C / -12.4°C | 65.5 mm, 47.1 cm of snow | Still deep winter; Montréal en Lumière at the end of the month |
| March–April | 2.4–11.3°C / -6.5–1.1°C | 77–90 mm | Thaw, slush and the last snow |
| May–June | 19.4–24.2°C / 8.3–13.8°C | 84–86 mm | Warm, green and festival season starts |
| July–August | 25.7–26.7°C / 15.6–16.7°C | 91–94 mm | The warmest months, with short summer showers |
| September | 21.1°C / 10.9°C | 89.2 mm | Warm days, cooler nights, fewer crowds |
| October–November | 6.1–13.2°C / -1.7–4.5°C | 84–103 mm | Fall colour on Mount Royal, then the first snow |
The cold is the headline. The lowest wind chill recorded at the airport in the 1991-2020 period was -46.7°C, in January 1994. If you are coming between December and February, read our guides to winter boots for travel, thermal base layers, packable down jackets and heated gloves before you pack. For the rest of the country, see our Canada guide.
Winter festivals in 2027
- Le Grand Marché de Noël: 13 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 at the Place des Festivals, free entry, with around 60 artisans selling crafts, local products and food from wooden chalets.
- Igloofest: 14 January to 6 February 2027 in Old Montreal, an outdoor electronic music festival held in the cold. Tickets are sold on the official site.
- Montréal en Lumière: 18 to 28 February 2027, the city’s big late-winter festival. Check the official programme for free and ticketed events.
Where should you stay in Montreal?
Stay downtown or in Old Montreal, close to an orange or green line metro station, and you can reach almost everything on foot, by metro or through the underground network.
| Area | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Old Montreal (Vieux-Montréal) | Cobblestone streets, Notre-Dame Basilica, the Old Port, Igloofest | Hotels are often boutique and pricier; hilly, icy streets in winter |
| Downtown (Centre-ville) | The RÉSO underground network, the museum district, the 747 bus stops on René-Lévesque | Office towers and busy streets rather than old-town charm |
| Quartier des spectacles and Quartier Latin | The Christmas market at the Place des Festivals, Berri-UQAM metro and the 747 terminus | Busy and loud during festivals |
| Plateau Mont-Royal | Colourful residential streets, cafés and Mount Royal on foot | Fewer hotels, more apartments, and a metro ride to Old Montreal |
First trip in winter? Downtown, near a metro station that connects to the RÉSO, is the most comfortable base, because you can cross much of the centre indoors. Compare Montreal hotel prices by area .
How do you get to and around Montreal?
Most flights land at Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL), west of the city, and the STM bus is the cheapest way in.
Flying Air Canada? Our Air Canada power bank rules explain what you can carry.
What should you not miss in Montreal?
| Sight | Price (2026) | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Old Montreal and the Old Port | Free to walk | Best early in the day in summer; in winter, wear boots with grip on the sloping streets |
| Notre-Dame Basilica | C$16 adult daytime visit, C$10 child (6–16), plus tax | Open Monday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.; the evening AURA show costs C$37 for an adult |
| Mount Royal Park | Free | Open 6 a.m. to midnight; Kondiaronk lookout over downtown; a 2,500 m² refrigerated rink by Beaver Lake in winter |
| Montreal Museum of Fine Arts | C$32 including the major exhibition | Free at all times for visitors aged 25 and under; closed on Mondays; open until 9 p.m. on Wednesdays |
| RÉSO underground city | Free | About 32 km of indoor walkways; the easiest way to cross downtown in a cold snap |
| Le Grand Marché de Noël | Free | 13 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 at the Place des Festivals, around 60 artisans |
Montreal in winter: what to actually do
Winter here is something to plan around, not to hide from. The city counts more than 220 outdoor rinks, several of them refrigerated, including the 2,500 m² rink on Mount Royal and one on the Esplanade Tranquille in the Quartier des spectacles. Mount Royal Park also has snowshoe trails, cross-country ski tracks and a tubing slope when snow allows. Mix outdoor hours with indoor ones: the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Notre-Dame Basilica and the RÉSO walkways are all warm places to recover between walks.
What day trips can you take from Montreal?
- Québec City. VIA Rail covers the 270 km in an average of 3 hours 26 minutes, which makes it possible as a long day trip and better as an overnight stay. Its Winter Carnival runs from 5 to 14 February 2027, as our Canada guide explains.
- Toronto. At an average of 5 hours 13 minutes by VIA Rail, Toronto is a next stop rather than a day trip.
- Mount Royal. Not a day trip, but give it a full half day: walk up from downtown to the Kondiaronk lookout and down to Beaver Lake.
What goes wrong on a Montreal trip?
- Underestimating the cold. January averages -13.5°C at night, and wind chill makes it feel much colder. City shoes and a thin coat will cut your days short.
- No coins for the 747. The bus driver cannot take bills or give change. Buy the C$11.25 fare in the Chrono app or at the airport machines before you board.
- Picking the wrong 747. The 747-2 stops only at Lionel-Groulx; take the 747-1 if your hotel is on René-Lévesque or near Berri-UQAM.
- Arriving at the Museum of Fine Arts on a Monday. It is closed on Mondays.
- Forgetting the eTA. Most visa-exempt travellers flying to Canada need an eTA, which costs C$7 on the official canada.ca site. US citizens do not need one.
For data on arrival, compare plans in our best eSIM for travel guide.
How many days do you need in Montreal?
Three to four days covers it: one day for Old Montreal and Notre-Dame Basilica, one for downtown, the Museum of Fine Arts and the RÉSO, one for Mount Royal and the Plateau, and a fourth for Québec City. Then continue to Toronto, fly west to Vancouver, or cross the border to New York.
Sources
Climate figures come from Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991-2020 normals for Montréal-Trudeau airport; the 747 route, fare and times from the STM and Tourisme Montréal; RÉSO and Christmas market details from Tourisme Montréal; festival dates from the official Igloofest and Montréal en Lumière sites; prices and hours from Notre-Dame Basilica and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts; park details from the Ville de Montréal; train times from VIA Rail; eTA rules from the Government of Canada. The full list is in the sources box at the end of this page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best time to visit Montreal?
June to September is the easiest time for most trips. Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991-2020 normals for Montréal-Trudeau airport give average highs of 24.2°C in June, 26.7°C in July and 21.1°C in September. December to February suits travellers who want the Christmas market, snow and the winter festivals, but January averages -5.0°C by day and -13.5°C at night.
How cold is Montreal in winter?
Very cold. January, the coldest month at Montréal-Trudeau airport, averages a high of -5.0°C and a low of -13.5°C, with 52 cm of snow and about 17 days of rain or snow, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991-2020 normals. The coldest wind chill recorded in that period was -46.7°C in January 1994, so pack proper boots, gloves and layers.
How do I get from Montreal airport to downtown?
Take the STM 747 bus, which runs 24 hours a day from door 28 at Montréal-Trudeau airport. The 747-1 reaches Berri-UQAM in about 45 to 70 minutes with stops along René-Lévesque Boulevard, and the 747-2 runs to Lionel-Groulx metro station in about 30 to 35 minutes. The C$11.25 fare is a 24-hour pass for the bus, metro, exo trains and REM in zone A; on board you need exact change in coins.
What is the Montreal Underground City?
The Underground City, now called RÉSO, is a network of about 32 km of indoor pedestrian walkways under downtown Montreal, according to Tourisme Montréal. It links metro lines, commuter trains and buses with shops, restaurants, hotels, offices, museums and universities, and it is free to walk, which makes it the easiest way to cross downtown on a freezing day.
When is the Montreal Christmas market?
Le Grand Marché de Noël runs from 13 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 at the Place des Festivals in the Quartier des spectacles, according to Tourisme Montréal. Admission is free, and around 60 artisans take turns in its wooden chalets selling crafts, local products and food.
How many days do you need in Montreal?
Three to four days covers Montreal well: one day for Old Montreal and Notre-Dame Basilica, one for downtown, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the RÉSO, one for Mount Royal and the Plateau, and a fourth for a day trip to Québec City, about three and a half hours away by VIA Rail.
Start planning your Montreal trip
If a package already covers your hotel, you can skip this part. If you are booking separately, compare a few dates: summer and festival dates such as Montréal en Lumière book up first, while a deep-winter weekday in January is when you are most likely to find a good rate.
Find cheap flights to Montreal | Compare Montreal hotel prices
Planning the wider trip? See our Canada travel guide, the USA guide and the hotels hub.
